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Top Ten Performances of the 2000's
By the end of the first decade of the new millenia, the film industry finally reached the ideal location- big budget blockbusters and dramatic indies gained equal box office and critical reception, while directors of the classic age were finally being rewarded. And in terms of performances, the theatrical delivery of the old age meshed incomparably to the intense method school to give us some of the best performances put the celluloid. 10: Mo'Nique as Mary Jones (Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire, 2009) - dir. by Lee Daniels Viewers should absolutely despise Mary- she's a vicious, cruel, and abusive person, and an even worse mother. She puts her daughter Precious, portrayed by the equally talented Gabourey Sidibe, through hell and back, attempting to ruin her both in the short term with violence and the long term by trying to preventing from bettering herself. Despite that, though, Mo'Nique does the impossible- she makes Mary an almost four-dimensional character, portraying her as both irrevocably evil yet humanly flawed. Best Scene: While Mo'Nique has consistent explosions of anger and fury throughout the entire film, Mo'Nique truly displays her talents during Mary's Confession. In what should be an uncharacteristic moment of weakness, Mo'Nique fuses that previous passion into a moment that seems completely, totally natural. 9: Leonardo DiCaprio as Frank Abagnale jr. (Catch Me If You Can, 2002) - dir. by Steven Spielberg Before he became Leonardo DiCaprio, the dramatic heavy hitter, but after he was Leonardo DiCaprio, the teenage heartthrob, DiCaprio got to be a little bit of both as the charming but several sided Frank Abagnale. He gets to let loose with his antics and kinetic spunk, but he also has several moments where DiCaprio truly shows off the talent he would show in the future. Best Scene: Hanratty confronting Abagnale in Montreal and the Christmas Phone Call are both powerful dramatic scenes, but DiCaprio's best moment is in the first few moments of the film as substitute teacher Frank Abagnale. 8: Kate Winslet as Clementine (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, 2003) - dir. by Michel Gondry In the hands of a lesser actress, Clementine could've easily become the first of the many manic pixie girl stereotypes in film today. However, that isn't so because Kate Winslet easily slips into the role as the sporadic and temperamental but equally broken and vulnerable Clementine. Winslet's performance is an expert showcase of mixing Kaufman's ironic humor with a genuine sense of human love and emotion. The most elite film critic to the most passionate hipster will all agree Winslet's performance is truly great. Best Scene: Clementine and Joel bounce off each other beautifully, with neither getting a moment to truly shine as individual characters (a testament to Winslet, Carrey, and Kaufman's talents already). However, the book store memory is still a moment that stands strong with every viewer of this film. 7: Russell Crowe as Jim Braddock (Cinderella Man, 2005) - dir. by Ron Howard Russell Crowe's built a career on playing the serious, stoic characters in his filmography, and he does that well too- but his best turn is by far his performance as the optimistic underdog boxer Jim Braddock. As the titular "Cinderella Man", Crowe is able to appear charming and happy-go-lucky without batting an eye, giving us a boxer we can root for as he manages to bring himself back to the top no matter the odds. Best Scene: Crowe's best moments are when he's reassuring his wife he'll win or when he's playing down his skill and abilities, but the best scene of the whole movie is his begging for money. It shows us a moment of humiliation for a proud man that will do anything for his family. 6: Ellen Page as Juno MacGuff (Juno, 2007) - dir. by Jason Reitman This movie didn't deserve to succeed, but thanks to Page's hilarious and intelligently crafted performance as the titular Juno, it does. Her voice leaks with both emotion and cockiness, both genuine, and she brings her to life expertly. Just barely leaving adolscence herself, Page allows Cody's script to sparkle while her chemistry with Jennifer Garner and Michael Cera is undeniable. Best Scene: While the scene with Cera and Juno's tirade about prom is a thought-provoking scene, it's the scene where Vanessa talks to her baby that shows Juno finally understanding the importance and greatness of what she's doing. 5: Jim Carrey as Joel Barish (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, 2004) - dir. by Michel Gondry Jim Carrey has always been loved for his comedic abilities, but it's when he mixes his comedy with drama like in The Truman Show and I Love You Phillip Morris that he shines. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is his magnum opus, holding back all the typical Jim Carrey overacting to truly shine as Joel. Without ever seeming depressing, Carrey easily manages to appear sheepishly calm and nervous, but always charming because of it. His love for Clementine is always genuine, despite the trials they face. Best Scene: Carrey has more moments to shine as an individual than Winslet does, with their chemistry truly shining in the baby flashback, but Carrey himself does his best work when he begs to keep a certain memory of him and Clementine simply relaxing, in love and at peace. 4: Resse Witherspoon as June Carter (Walk the Line, 2005) - dir. by James Mangold Infectiously cheery and optimistic, Witherspoon proves the film's primary delight alongside her equally talented costar Joaquin Phoenix. As Johnny Cash's longtime lover June Carter Cash, Witherspoon easily slips into the role with her traditional happy-go lucky attitude while digging deep into previously unknown dramatic skills. Her talented vocal skills are just icing on the cake. Best Scene: Witherspoon is best on display with her scenes shared with Phoenix, due both to their chemistry and Witherspoon's ability to stand out. During the performance of "Time's A Wastin'", Witherspoon easily does both. 3: Heath Ledger as The Joker (The Dark Knight, 2008) - dir. by Christopher Nolan What can one say about Heath Ledger's immortal performance that hasn't already been raved about? It's all true, as well- he takes an iconic character and gives it a unique twist, crafting an almost entirely original force of chaos and letting loose on the screen. Ledger won a well-deserved Oscar for his performance as the Clown Prince of Crime, and created a masterpiece of a character while doing so. Best Scene: The Joker has several now iconic moments, from the Magic Trick to the Scar Story. However, nothing truly unites all the ticks and beats of this force of chaotic nature like the Interrogation. 2: Brad Pitt as Jesse James (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, 2007) - dir. by Andrew Dominik Pitt puts all his charm and acting skill into the rare vehicle of a villain, and boy does it work. As the notorious Jesse James, Pitt delivers a tour de force unlike anything seen before from him. With his crocodile grin and Pitt's slow drawl, everyone is put on edge when Jesse enters the room- yet he's always missed whenever he's not in the frame due to Pitt's magnetic and mysterious swagger. Best Scene: Pitt reaches a wide variety of heights throughout this performance, ranging from charming to creepy to flat out insane. The Heist Plan, however, is when Pitt completely harnesses the character together. HM's 11. Daniel Day-Lewis as Daniel Plainview (There Will Be Blood, 2007) - dir. by Paul Thomas Andersom 12. Scarlett Jonhanson as Charlotte (Lost in Translation, 2003) - dir. by Sofia Ford Coppola 13. Uma Thurman as Beatrix Kiddo (Kill Bill Vol. 2, 2002) - dir. by Quentin Tarantino 14. Kate Hudson as Penny Lane (Almost Famous, 2000) - dir. by Cameron Crowe 15. Sean Penn as Jimmy Marko (Mystic River, 2003) - dir. by Clint Eastwood 16. Emily Blunt as Emily (The Devil Wears Prada, 2006) - dir. by David Frankel 17. Anna Faris as Samantha James (Just Friends, 2005) - dir. by Roger Kumble 18. Tom Hanks as Chuck Noland (Cast Away, 2000) - dir. by Robert Zemeckis 19. Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman (American Psycho, 2000) - dir. by Mary Harron 20. Sean Astin as Samwise Gamgee (The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, 2003) - dir. by Sean Astin 1: Maia Morgenstern as the Virgin Mary (The Passion of the Christ, 2004) - dir. by Mel Gibson Take away all context; eliminate the controversy. What Maia Morgenstern gives as the Blessed Virgin Mary is an almost divinely inspired performance fueled by heartbreak and pain. She gives a fantastic supporting turn, making viewers suffer with her as she is forced to stand by and allow her son to suffer. Her faith is as strong as her pain, and Morgenstern breaks down acting to it's emotional core by expressing that. Best Scene: The Tall Table may explore the chemistry between Jesus and Mary, but the Comforting of Jesus that Morgenstern manages to express everything she needs to with two simple words. It's inexplicably, supernaturally executed.